Fern plant named Delila

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Fern plant named Delila, characterized by its symmetrical and spherical plant habit; arching to pendent fronds that cover the container; numerous fronds that form a dense plant canopy; short and broad fronds and pinnae; deeply crenate pinnae margins; and slightly curved pinnae that are undulated from base to tip giving a wavy, not flat, appearance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of Fern, botanically known as Nephrolepis exaltata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Delila.

The new cultivar was discovered by me at Biological Industries Co. Ltd., Kibbutz Beit Haemek, Israel, as a naturally occurring sport or mutation of the Nephrolepis exaltata cultivar Welch.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture propagation at Biological Industries Co. Ltd., Kibbutz Beit Haemek, Israel, has shown that the unique features of this new Fern are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The cultivar Delila has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Apopka, Fla., under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the distinctive and unique characteristics of Delila. These characteristics in combination distinguish Delila as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Symmetrical and spherical plant shape that is appropriate for having basket containers.

2. Arching to pendent fronds that cover the container.

3. Numerous fronds that form a dense plant canopy.

4. Fronds that are short and broad.

5. Pinnae that are short and broad.

6. Pinnae margins that are deeply crenate.

7. Pinnae that are slightly curved inward towards the midvein and undulated from base to tip giving a wavy, not flat, appearance.

Delila differs from its parent cultivar, Neophrolepis exaltata cultivar Welch in its denser and more compact plant habit, more curved fronds, more spherical appearance, and less occurrence of dieback of fronds in the center of the plant.

The new cultivar is most similar to the Neophrolepis exaltata cultivar Dallas Jewel, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,755, in its similar pinnae color and plant vigor. Delila differs from Dallas Jewel in the following characteristics:

1. Plant shape of Delila plants is symmetrical and spherical compared to upright, loose and nonsymmetrical plant shape of Dallas Jewel plants.

2. Fronds of Delila plants are arching to pendent. Fronds of Dallas Jewel plants are erect to slightly arching.

3. Plants of Delila are shorter and wider than plants of Dallas Jewel.

4. Fronds of Delila plants are shorter and slightly broader than fronds of Dallas Jewel plants.

5. The rachis length of fronds of Delila plants is shorter than the rachis length of fronds of Dallas Jewel plants.

6. Delila plants have more fronds per plant than plants of Dallas Jewel.

7. Fronds of Delila plants have fewer pinnae per frond compared to fronds of Dallas Jewel plants.

8. Pinnae of Delila plants are broader than pinnae of Dallas Jewel plants.

9. The pinnae margin of Delila plants is more deeply crenate compared to pinnae margin of Dallas Jewel plants.

10. Pinnae of Delila plants have fewer lobes than pinnae of Dallas Jewel plants.

11. Pinnae of Delila plants are slightly curved inward towards the midvein and undulated from the pinnae base to tip giving a wavy, not flat, appearance. Pinnae of Dallas Jewel plants are flat or slightly curved inward towards the midvein.

12. In general appearance, plants of Delila appear softer and more feathery than Dallas Jewel plants.

A detailed comparison of Delila and Dallas Jewel plants appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on sheet 1 comprises a top perspective view of a typical potted plant of Delila.

The photograph at the top of sheet 2 is a comparison top perspective view showing Dallas Jewel (left) and Delila (right). In this comparison photograph, the depicted colors are not precise, but the differences in plant shape, growth habit, plant height and plant width are visible.

The photograph at the bottom of sheet 2 is a comparison view of fronds of Delila (top) and Dallas Jewel (bottom). In this comparison photograph, the depicted colors are not precise, but the differences in frond length, rachis length, quantity of pinnae, pinnae width, pinnae margin, number of lobes and pinnae aspect are visible.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for six typical plants.

Botanical classification: Neophrolepis exaltata cultivar Delila.

Parentage: Naturally occurring sport or mutation of Neophrolepis exaltata cultivar Welch.

Propagation: By tissue culture.

Rooting habit: Fibrous and aggressive. Tissue culture plantlets develop roots within 7 days under warm (80° F.) conditions.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

A. Plant shape: Symmetrical and spherical in shape. Fronds of mature plants cover the entire container. Appropriate for hanging basket containers.

B. Growth habit: Arching to pendent.

C. Plant height: 18 cm from soil line to top of plant plane.

D. Plant width: 45 cm in diameter.

E. Plant vigor: Moderate.

F. Frond description:

1. Leaf arrangement.--one-pinnate.

2. Frond length.--22 cm.

3. Frond width.--5.5 cm.

4. Rachis length.--16 cm.

5. Quantity of fronds.--Numerous.

G. Pinnae description:

1. Pinnae length.--23 mm.

2. Pinnae width.--9 mm.

3. Quantity of pinnae.--29 per frond.

4. Margin.--Deeply crenate.

5. Number of lobes.--23.

6. Pinnae base.--Truncate.

7. Pinnae aspect.--Slightly curved inward towards midvein, undulated from pinnae base to tip giving a wavy, not flat, appearance.

8. Pinnae attachment.--Sessile.

9. Pinnae texture.--Shiny, smooth.

10. Pinnae color.--a. Immature, top side: 144A. b. Immature, under side: 144A. c. Intermediate, top side: 143A. d. Intermediate, under side: 143A. e. Mature, top side: 137A. f. Mature, under side: More green than 146A.

11. Venation pattern.--Pinnate.

Disease resistance: No resistance nor susceptibility to pathogens has been noted.

Spore formation: The new cultivar has not been observed to form spores.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTIC                                                                              DALLAS JEWEL  DELILA                                              ______________________________________                                         PLANT SHAPE  Upright and loose,                                                                           Symmetrical and                                                  nonsymmetrical                                                                               spherical                                           GROWTH HABIT Erect to slightly                                                                            Arching to pendent                                               arching                                                           PLANT HEIGHT 30 cm from soil line                                                                         18 cm from soil line                                             to top of plant plane                                                                        to top of plant plane                               PLANT WIDTH  36 cm diameter                                                                               45 cm diameter                                      VIGOR        Moderate      Moderate                                            APPROPRIATE  Appropriate for                                                                              Appropriate for                                     CONTAINER(S) pots, too upright for                                                                        hanging basket                                                   hanging basket                                                                               containers                                                       containers                                                        LEAF         1-pinnate     1-pinnate                                           ARRANGEMENT                                                                    FROND LENGTH 31 cm         22 cm                                               FROND WIDTH  5 cm          5.5 cm                                              RACHIS LENGTH                                                                               25 cm         16 cm                                               QUANTITY     Moderate,     Numerous,                                           OF FRONDS    open form     dense form                                          PINNAE LENGTH                                                                               24 mm         23 mm                                               PINNAE WIDTH 5 mm          9 mm                                                QUANTITY     46 per frond  29 per frond                                        OF PINNAE                                                                      PINNAE MARGIN                                                                               Finely crenate                                                                               Deeply crenate                                      NUMBER       33 per pinnae 23 per pinnae                                       OF LOBES                                                                       PINNAE BASE  Truncate      Truncate                                            PINNAE ASPECT                                                                               Flat or slightly                                                                             Slightly curved                                                  curved inward inward towards                                                   towards midvein                                                                              midvein, undulated                                                             from base to tip                                                               giving a wavy, not                                                             flat, appearance                                    PINNAE       Sessile       Sessile                                             ATTACHMENT                                                                     PINNAE TEXTURE                                                                              Shiny, smooth Shiny, smooth                                       PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               144A          144A                                                IMMATURE,                                                                      TOP SIDE                                                                       PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               144A          144A                                                IMMATURE,                                                                      UNDER SIDE                                                                     PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               137A          143A                                                INTERMEDIATE,                                                                  TOP SIDE                                                                       PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               More green    143A                                                INTERMEDIATE,                                                                               than 146A                                                         UNDER SIDE                                                                     PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               137A          137A                                                MATURE,                                                                        TOP SIDE                                                                       PINNAE COLOR,                                                                               More green    More green                                          MATURE,      than 146A     than 146A                                           UNDER SIDE                                                                     VENATION     Pinnate       Pinnate                                             PATTERN                                                                        ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Fern plant named Delila, as illustrated and described. 